Background: Zoletil has been used at different dose rates with or without preanaesthetics through intramuscular or intravenous routes in canine patients with varying results in other countries. The doses recommended by the manufacturer as well as researchers and the observations on various clinico-physiological and hemodynamic parameters are also highly variable. Keeping these points in mind, the present study was conducted to study anesthetic/sedative effects of intramuscular administration of Zoletil (20 mg/kg)&nbsp; and also to study the effect of glycopyrrolate (0.005 mg/kg)-xylazine (0.5 mg/kg) supplementation on Zoletil (10 mg/kg)-induced total intramuscular anesthesia in dogs.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Fourteen canine patients were divided into two groups, viz., A and B, with seven animals in each group.In group A, Zoletil (tiletamine-zolazepam) at the dose rate of 20 mg/kg body weight was administered intramuscularly as an anaesthetic. In group B, preanesthetic glycopyrrolate at 0.005 mg/kg body weight was administered intramuscularly. After 15 minutes, xylazine at 0.5 mg/kg body weight was administered intramuscularly. After 15 minutes of preanesthetic administration in the B group, anaesthesia was induced intramuscularly with tiletamine-zolazepam @ 10 mg/kg body weight.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Zoletil (Tiletamine-zolazepam, 20 mg/kg IM) (group A) is only recommended for non-surgical/diagnostic (viz. Gastro-intestinal endoscopy)/minor surgical procedures in uncooperative dogs. An intramuscular anaesthetic protocol using glycopyrrolate (0.005 mg/kg)-xylazine (0.5 mg/kg) - Zoletil (10 mg/kg IM) (group B) is recommended for major surgical procedures of long duration. Neither the anaesthetic protocol produced any serious deleterious effect on hemato-biochemical and hemodynamic parameters; hence both protocols can be used safely in dogs as per the requirements of the procedure.

Effect of Glycopyrrolate-xylazine Supplementation on Zoletil-induced Total Intramuscular Anaesthesia in Dogs

Background: Zoletil is a proprietary combination of equal parts of tiletamine and zolazepam with relatively short duration of action which necessitates administration of several maintenance doses. Zoletil combined with dexmedetomidine and fentanyl citrate in goats has not been reported in Indian literature. Therefore, the objective of present study was to compare the sedative, analgesic, anaesthetic efficacy and suitability of peanaesthetics in combination with intravenous zoletil anaesthesia in goats. 
 
Methods: Eighteen healthy non-descript goats of either sex, weighing between 20-25 kg were randomly divided into three groups (Group Z, DexZ and FentZ) with six animals in each. Atropine sulphate @ 0.04 mg/kg b.wt. intramuscularly was administered 10 min. prior to anaesthetic trail in all the animals of different groups. The animals of group Z received Zoletil alone @ 5.5 mg/kg by slow intravenous injection and kept as control. Ten minutes later, in groups DexZ and FentZ, dexmedetomidine @ 5 mcg/kg b.wt. and fentanyl citate @ 10 mcg/kgb.wt. were administered slow intravenously respectively. Anaesthesia was induced 10 minutes later by slow bolus dose of Zoletil @ 5.5 mg/kg b. wt. intravenously in animals of all the groups till the pedal reflex abolished.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The onset of sedation and induction of anaesthesia was quicker in group DexZ followed by FentZ and Z. Duration of anaesthesia and complete recovery time were significantly (P&lt;0.05) longer in group DexZ as compared to group FentZ and Z. Analgesia was excellent in all the groups but of longer duration in animals of group DexZ. To conclude dexmedetomidine-zoletil combination produced prolonged duration of anaesthesia with excellent muscle relaxation suitable for long surgical procedure.&nbsp;

Comparative Evaluation of Dexmedetomidine and Fentanyl Citrate as Preanaesthetic to Intravenous Zoletil Anaesthesia in Goats (Capra hircus)